Friday, 20 March 2015

It’s not contagious…

Last week, I went to see Celebrity Juice being recorded as an apology for being turned away from Reality Bites back in February. I love the show but it was 10 times more hilarious being in the studio audience than sitting at home watching it on the box. “How is that possible?” I hear you yell! Well it’s because a lot of what is said is too obscene to broadcast (I can’t even repeat the story Gino D’Acampo told) which brings a feeling of exclusivity. Also, Leigh Francis (Keith Lemon) is a very good presenter so there is no waiting around at the end for him to do pick-ups. It is basically a continuous three hours with hardly any breaks.

Like Jeremy Clarkson, Celeb Juice is similar to Marmite. Some find the content repulsive and vulgar whereas others, like me, can’t get enough. Yes I have a filthy sense of humour, which is probably why I enjoy it so much, but I also remember that it is just a TV programme there to entertain an audience and should not be taken seriously. At the end of the day, Keith Lemon (who makes quite a lot of misogynistic remarks) is a character played by Leigh Francis. A lot of people seem to forget that. Fair enough if you think the show too explicit but I don’t agree with those who criticize it forbeing sexist and objectifying women. Watch it for the comedy or if you don’t find it funny, turn over.

Anyway, I’m not here to post about the show (eventhough I clearly got carried away) but instead want to discuss something else that happened to me before Celebrity Juice even began. The warm up comedian told everyone to shake the person behind him or her’s hand. There was a middle-aged woman sat in front of me. I put my hand out ready to shake. She turned laughing, saw I was in a wheelchair then quickly turned back, withdrawing her hand so not to touch me. The worst thing is I saw by her panicked facial expression that she must have honestly thought that you could catch Friedreich’s Ataxia. It then dawned on me that most women must think touching me makes them disabled.

The first episode of the brand new series was broadcast on Thursday evening and I thought I might be in it because they got my entire row to sign disclaimer forms. There was a mini game where guests had to shake off plastic bags, which were attached to their bodies and had toilet rolls in. I was down the front so when Jimmy Carr flung one off, it flew up and fell in my direction. I half turned away and covered my face. Gavin said it reminded him of the girl in the wheelchair who gets hit in the face with a Frisbee in Inbetweeners (except I didn’t cry). Obviously, the producers of Celebrity Juice thought it would be inappropriate to show a slightly distressed ‘Wheelchair Boy’.